Promoting early childhood brain development with simple games is the best gift we can give to our children. If you're the parent of a toddler or care for young children, you'll love learning about the work of our parenting skills expert author, Deborah McNelis. She is an early brain development specialist.

Deborah creates card packets for your pocket to use throughout the day. Just pull out the packet, find a fun activity, and use it to enrich your baby's brain development. Today she'll share 3 activities your young toddler (6-9 months) will love.

Interaction with videos, TV, or You? Which Is Best?

Deborah, an early childhood brain specialist, tells us, "Learning happens when playing with real things and interacting with people." She says that TV and videos are not the best ways for your baby's brains to learn.

2. Waiting in Line - Let's say your baby is sitting in a shopping cart. You're waiting in a long line. Deborah suggests you take your child's hands, clap them together, and say his name. "Do it over and over again." Why? Your baby will know how special he is. Your touch and hearing his name will prove it.

3. Touching Different Textures - Sit your baby on the floor or in her high chair while you're cooking. Give her different textures to touch and play with. Deborah suggests a rubber spatula, a wooden spoon, a plastic container, and measuring spoons. Why? Examining safe items will give her pleasure and stimulate her brain.

One more thing, Deborah tells us that 85% of brain development happens in the first 3 years. Of course, Deborah always promotes safety in the activities we choose.

******

Jean's Impressions

I like the simplicity of Deborah's creative ideas. I find it reassuring to know that exposing our children to ordinary things, showing our baby our pleasure in what she is learning, and letting her explore things helps her brain develop in wonderful ways.

******

Let's THANK Deborah McNelis for sharing her work in Early Childhood Development.

If you’d like your kids to confide in you, conversations are essential. Our parenting skills expert, Carole Disseldorp, is here to show us how. Carole is a parent educator, counselor, and the author of, Easier Parenting.

Today she’ll share 5 listening tips, the best type of questions to ask, and good times for creating the kind of talks that children trust. Let’s find out her advice.

How to Listen When Your Kids Are Talking:

1. Turn toward them.

2. Look eye-to-eye.

3. Ask questions to help them share more.

4. Reflect back their meaning or feelings to show you understand.

5. Avoid interrupting or arguing.

Carole says, “If we can show interest, resist interrogating, and abstain from being judgmental, our children will be more likely to share their experiences, feelings, and thoughts.”

Open-Ended Questions Move the Conversation Forward:

Open-ended questions can’t be answered with:

Grunts

Yes

No

These questions help kids share their observations, feelings, and thoughts. For example, “What do you think about…?”

Where to Enjoy Great Conversations with Kids:

Mealtimes

Driving times (Keep your eyes on the road.)

Screen-free times

Carole warns, “If we criticize our children when they open up to us, they are less likely to confide in us in the future.” (From pages 11-14)

******

Jean’s Impressions:

If we follow Carole’s advice, it will make parenting easier. Her tips for listening and asking questions are crucial. When children trust that we will listen with interest and kindness, they’ll share their deeper thoughts.

Parents who interrupt, criticize, and argue shut down their power to influence. Why? Because these behaviors hurt feelings and break the trusting bond with their kids.

Did you notice this blog/newsletter looks a little different? I'm streamlining my new work in one easy place! Now you'll receive all the parenting tips and tools from my book reveiws, my newsletters, gifts, and articles.

Today, I hope you'll pick up my parenting gift for being a loyal subscriber.

*******

Please support today's author and share your opinions about this blog post. Click on the Comments link below. It will open up for you. We'd love to hear from you.